Frederik V1 and his Family

[What were the reasons for the deaths of the other children?]

King Frederik V1 of Denmark was the son of cousins, King Christian V11 of Denmark and Princess Caroline Matilda of Great Britain who had a shared grandfather in King George 11 of Great Britain.  Frederik married his cousin Marie, Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel.  Marie was the daughter of Karl, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and Princess Lovisa of Denmark, cousins who shared a grandfather in King George 11 of Great Britain.

The closely related King and Queen had eight children:

1c) Christian (Copenhagen 22 Sep 1791-Copenhagen 23 Sep 1791)
2c) Marie Louise (Copenhagen 19 Nov 1792-Frederiksborg 12 Oct 1793)
3c) Caroline (Christiansborg 28 Oct 1793-Copenhagen 30 Mar 1881)
4c) Louise (Copenhagen 21 Aug 1795-Copenhagen 7 Dec 1795)
5c) Christian (Copenhagen 1 Sep 1797-Copenhagen 5 Sep 1797)
6c) Juliana Louise (Copenhagen 12 Feb 1802-Copenhagen 23 Feb 1802)
7c) Frederikke Marie (Copenhagen 3 Jun 1805-Copenhagen 14 Jul 1805)
8c) Wilhelmine Marie (Kiel 18 Jan 1808-Glücksburg 30 May 1891)

Caroline and Wilhelmine alone survived to adulthood.

What were the reasons for the deaths of the other children?

Caroline married Prince Ferdinand of Denmark, her father's cousin and was childless.  
Wilhelmine married Prince Frederik (later, King Frederik VII), her second cousin.  Again the marriage was childless and they were divorced.  She then married her cousin Karl, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.  Karl's mother Luise, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel was the daughter Karl, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and Princess Lovisa of Denmark.  Once more, no children are recorded from this union.

Did Caroline and Wilhelmine have any miscarriages or stillborn babies not recorded here?

My information is from Paul Theroff's files.

The books just say they were weak at birth and that is why they died. I have never heard a more specifik reason why so many of queen Maries children died.

Neither Caroline or Wilhelmine had any miscarriages or stillborn babies.

Thank you Kmerov.  I have read that there were objections to the marriage of Frederik V1 and Marie of Hesse-Kassel.  Was their consanguity the reason for this? Did they overcome the objections because were attracted to each other?

No, the reason was more politicial. His sister, Louise Augusta was against it, because it could mean that Maries father took the place of the kings advicer instead of the duke of Augustenborg, which also was feared by the intellectuels who didn't like him. Marie was also very shy which didn't make her popular at first. It was Frederik VI who wanted to marry her because they were cousins, and not so much out of love.

How strange it seems, from a present day perspective, that he married her because they were cousins: considering the close relationship of their parents.  

The early demise of most of their children is particularly incongruous, as Marie seems to have carried a longevity gene from the Hesse family.  Their two surviving daughters each lived more than eighty years.

Frederik's four children by his mistress fared better; with the exception of a son who died in his teens they all reached adulthood. I have not yet been able to find out if any gave him grandchildren.      

Frederik wanted to unite the family and that was the main reason for marrying his cousin ( and later his daughters to Frederik VII and prince Ferdinand).

I know that his oldest daughter gave him grand children, but his son died without heirs.

Frederik VIs mistress, Frederikke Dannemand 1790-1862, the last official maitresse in Danish history.

And frederik VI with his family.

Thank you so much for the portrait Kmerov.  I do not know what this section of the Forum would do without you, our Danish expert!!

Frederikke looks old and worn; she displays no jewels or fine clothes. The post of Official Mistress to the King of Denmark appears most unrewarding.  No wonder she was the last!  

At least Frederik had some grandchildren by her.  The lack of children by his legitimate daughters must have disappointed his hopes of family unity, especially when Wilhelmine was divorced from her husband.

You are welcome, and thank you very much for saying that.

Frederikke had quite a fortune, but she also spend alot, and of course after the kings death her income wasn't the same..

His dream of a strong united Oldenborg dynasty to continue after him didn't last very long.
Frederik of course always wanted a son and heir, and he called his eldest daughter Crown Princess Caroline for many years, a title with no effect.

A young Frederik VI

Queen Marie

Great portraits Kmerov!If you find some more,please post them  

Princess Caroline

Princess Wilhelmine